Mar 05,2007Body found in N. Umpqua River ID’d as missing student by Cheryl McDermott

The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified the body found Thursday afternoon in the North Umpqua River as Jeffrey Schmidt, a 22-year old Oregon State University student from Medford who has been missing since a traffic crash in that area on November 19th.

Oregon State Police and Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies were notified about 1:15 p.m. March 1 that a body was sighted in the North Umpqua River near milepost 47 on Highway 138E, and responded to the scene about one and one-half miles downstream from the Dry Creek store to investigate and recover the body.

Investigators worked with the Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office to positively identify the body, which was unknown at time of recovery to be male or female.

Schmidt, 22, of Medford, was involved in a fatal traffic accident in the area on November 19 of last year when his 1997 Jeep Wrangler went over a steep embankment and into the river.

In that accident, 20-year old Quinn Do Truong of Tigard was found deceased in the vehicle two days later after a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy found skidmarks and broken branches leading to the river.The two students were reported missing when they failed to return from a sorority and fraternity function held at Diamond Lake Lodge, about 32 miles east of the accident scene.